A/N: Well, here's the chapter you all have been waiting for! Hope you like it!
Thanks to reviewers, readers, and my beta Laura Andrew.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything...
Chapter X: Caves and Candlelight
"A map!" Edmund exclaimed, placing an old, scrolled up map on the table in front of his siblings. "All that trouble for a plain old map!"
"Well, it looks rather ancient," Lucy commented. Susan agreed.
"It has to have some purpose to it. No one hides maps in secret compartments for nothing. Have you looked at it yet?" Peter asked. "I mean, really looked at it," he added.
"Well, no. But, why would someone be trying to hide a map in my room?" Edmund remarked.
"I'm not sure. But you said you knew about this for a while, right?" Peter asked.
"Yes, but I already told that story."
"But where did you get the medallion from? You know, the one you said unlocked the door in your desk?" Susan turned to Edmund.
"I got it as a gift from Aslan. Actually, if I didn't remember that it was from Aslan, I don't think I would have opened it as willingly."
Peter stood up. "Well, we might as well figure out what's so special about this. Help me clear this table."
The kings and queens cleaned off a table covered with law books and old scrolls. They were working on a case of trespassing for the animals living on the border of Ettinsmoor. The giants driven away had been getting a bit rambunctious.
"All right, now let's spread the map on the table and use these,"- Peter laid down painted stones that the Pevensies used as paper weights on the four corners of the map. "Let's see what we have here."
The map was indeed very old. It was a map of Narnia but it was not as elaborate as any other map in the castle. On this map, the Narnian borders went as far as the Great Waterfall instead to Cair Paravel and the Eastern Sea. These parts were labeled "Uninhabited country" and tree symbols flowed across it. What was now the Shuddering Woods were named as habitats of animals on the map. It had things like "Fox's Den" or "Bears Den" or "Rabbit Holes". Some had unnamed towns, but they were still marked with symbols of houses implying that they existed. This the Pevensies found very curious.
"It's just an old map," Edmund repeated over and over again under his breath.
"Oh, Edmund. You must learn to be more patient sometimes," Susan remarked. "It's more than that!"
"It is an old map," Lucy said. "But it is lovely. Do you think Mr. Tumnus might know the time it was from?"
"Perhaps," Edmund said. "But, first, let's look for clues that might tell us something about it. Well, it must have been a very young Narnia. The Lantern Waste is still there, but the territory past the Great Lake was never conquered, or as it says 'uninhabited'."
"Look!" Lucy exclaimed. "This doesn't even have Archenland on it!"
"By the Lion, Lu, you're right," Edmund gasped. "This is before even King Col established the kingdom. That means this map is either originally from King Frank's reign or a copy of a map from King Frank's reign."
"Any other time," Susan said. "I would have said this was a copy. But this map is dreadfully old paper. There is no way it could be a copy. Or, if it was, it wasn't that far from King Frank's reign anyhow. It surpasses my understanding how it's been preserved for- Aslan knows how many years."
"If our calculations are correct, nearly one thousand and twelve," Edmund said.
Meanwhile, the eldest Pevensie had been carefully examining each part of the map while the others continued to discuss the time and use for it. There was something different, and not just the little animal habitats and small unnamed towns. He was broken out of his train of thought when his brother noticed his concentration.
"What's bothering you, Pete?" he asked.
"Look here, I know this is exciting and all, but there's something about this that's just- I can't put my finger on it. But I'm worried it might put us all in danger," Peter replied anxiously.
"Peter, Aslan gave me the clues to find it. I mean, how could it be bad?" Edmund said.
"I didn't say it was bad. I said dangerous. I don't think this is the right time to be going on these adventures and all. We have a lot going on around here. Look, maybe in a few months we'll pick this back up. All right?"
There was something in Peter's voice that bothered Edmund. He didn't inquire further because of his brother's sudden change of mood.
"All right," he said. "But could we at least find out the importance in it all. That doesn't involve going anywhere dangerous."
Peter chuckled. "Well, that's easy."
"It is?" Lucy asked still staring confusedly at the map.
"Oh, Peter! I can't take this anymore. What is it?" Susan burst out.
Peter turned to Edmund. "Come on, Ed. You passed all the Narnian geography exams. You could draw them upside down. Don't you see anything really different?"
"Well, Peter, I don't think I studied a map quite this old and elaborate," Edmund replied, but looked down at the map again. He searched for several minutes. His eyes scanning the old parchment up and down, side to side, diagonally, and finally straight at it as if hoping the answer would pop up from inside. He looked up for a second and rubbed his eyes, which were watering from staring in the dim light. They only had one candle since it was rather late now. He cast a pleading glance at his brother who simply smiled and shook his head in return.
Edmund, once again, turned his eyes to the map. He began a strategic search this time. He spotted all the names and symbols one at a time. Some of the marks were familiar from old maps he had studied (not quite as old, but old nonetheless) and some not so familiar. Presently, his eyes came upon a very small writing on the west side near what is now, the Telmar River. He peered closer, his eyes having a hard time focusing in the dimming candlelight. It read : "Cave of Crystal Shards".
Edmund gasped as he stood up straight.
"What is it, Ed?" Susan asked.
"He found it," Peter replied with a smile. "I say, are you all right, Edmund?" For suddenly, Edmund fell back in the chair with a worried expression. He knew the Cave of Crystal Shards. Immediately, when he had seen the words, his mind reeled back to the article mentioning the cursed goblet that caused civil wars among the Narnians. And, also, the shards themselves, which, when touched without the ability to wield the magic, turned the person to stone or killed them instantly. Peter was right. It was an adventure, but a dangerous one.
"Edmund," Lucy placed a hand on her brothers shoulder. "What's up?"
"I-I've seen this before. Peter's right. It is dangerous."
"How?" Peter asked anxiously. He wanted and would do anything to keep his family and country from harm.
"Well, it's - wait here," Edmund said getting up and rushing outside the room. He returned some time later with two books in his hands.
"I forgot about these for a while," he said placing the two books on the table.
"So, this is what we lost you to two weeks ago!" Lucy laughed.
"By the Lion's mane, this book seems as old as the map itself," Susan remarked fingering the worn cover of the ancient book Edmund had found nearly a week before.
"It is," Edmund said. "Look inside, at this page." He turned to the page he had read before. "The Cave of Crystal Shards. Now, look at this on the map." He pointed to the location of the cave drawn on the map.
"Somehow, the name almost seems familiar," Lucy commented. In fact, it was familiar. She had found it in the same book Sheleiya had read the small article on the cave.
"Don't be silly, Lu," Susan laughed, not unkindly. "Something this ancient isn't found in regular books. Where did you find this, Edmund?" She picked up the ancient book and gently turned the pages.
"Actually, sister, I found it in our own library. It was next to this book; I pulled it off accidentally," Edmund pointed to the other book Narnian Paintings.
"Why did you want a book on paintings?" Peter asked.
"I was hoping you were going to get around to that," Edmund smiled. "You know that picture in the hallway leading to the kitchen? It's the one that looks like a simple landscape painting. Here's the description," Edmund turned to the page in Narnian Paintings.
"Oh! I do like that picture," commented Susan.
"Yes, it's rather sweet," agreed Lucy.
"Girls," Edmund scoffed. "Always see everything so sweet and innocent."
"Oh, shut up and get to your point," Lucy snapped.
"It says here that in the way back of the picture, there is a cave," Edmund pointed out.
"By the Lion," Peter said under his breath. "Do you think it's the same cave?" He asked in a louder voice.
"Well, according to this book,"-he pointed to the ancient book- "the Cave of Crystal Shards had blue crystals emitting a glow. Our painting matches the description."
"But why is it dangerous?" Susan asked.
Edmund sat down, turning the pages of Narnian Paintings though not really reading it. "It says in the ancient book that if one does not have the power to wield magic and attempts to touch the stone, he will either be turned to stone or die instantly. King Frank hid this goblet of some sort that seemed to be causing a civil war in Narnia."
"Interesting," Peter said. "The White Witch could do the same thing-well, the turning into stone part."
"Maybe that's how she did it!" Edmund exclaimed. "She really didn't have her own power. These crystals look exactly like the crystal shards of her wand. So, when she turned others into stone and all that sort of terrible stuff, she was just wielding the magic from the shards themselves-not her own."
"So, she was really powerless without her wand," Lucy smiled. "Wand or not- she still was not a match for Aslan!"
Peter placed a hand on her shoulder. "Indeed she wasn't, dear sister."
Susan glanced outside the window. "Oh my," she yawned. "It must be past midnight. We should all go to bed before we strain our eyes in this dim candlelight."
No one really wanted to sleep now since they had found such an exciting adventure. But, in the end, they had to agree with Susan, so they all retired for the night.
A/N: What will Edmund do now? And when?
The thing about the White Witch's wand was an idea I had floating around in my head for awhile. I thought it fit in to this story.
I'll try to review soon, but I have this literary analysis paper of death that will keep me pre-occupied for a little. But, I will reply to any reviews that come in! Sorry I haven't been so good on keeping up with those! I will get to them now! So, leave a review to tell me any thoughts! :)
Arrivederci!